President’s Message
by Dennis J. LeCaptain

Comments and letters can be sent to President LeCaptain at WPPA, 340 Coyier Lane, Madison, WI 53713, or e-mail dlecaptain@wppa.com.

Welcome brothers and sisters in labor. I hope that everyone who attended this year’s convention in Wisconsin Dells had an enjoyable time. In addition to celebrating the WPPA’s 75 years of service to our members, we offered a wide variety of educational seminars geared towards the nuts and bolts of union activity. I believe our seminar agenda offered something worthwhile and new for every member, regardless of whether you work in law enforcement, or for a large or small municipality. While I recognized Judy Urso at the convention for her continued efforts in planning and organizing this successful event, I want to take this opportunity to thank Julie Neeley and Korrin Wareham for all of their hard work as well. We should appreciate all that they do, not only when it comes to the convention, but also for the dedication they give us day in and day out at the Madison office. Finally, I want to thank all of you who helped support Special Olympics in one way or another. Special Olympics will be honoring the WPPA this year in large part because of your efforts, and I am proud to accept that honor on your behalf.

As we navigate through this summer in service to our communities, our membership will again confront growing expectations and shrinking resources, all the while trying to find time to spend with our loved ones. Our employers demand more of us and offer less and less in return. For those of us in law enforcement, we find ourselves continuously placing our personal well-being at risk while seeing our requests for more officers and equipment fall upon deaf ears. Still, we do our jobs to the best of our abilities, all in the name of maintaining and restoring order and peace. For those of us in a non-law enforcement occupation, we diligently work to meet the specific and growing list of services that the people of our communities have come to expect.

If you take nothing else away from this column, know that you are not alone, and that the WPPA was created to serve you as you perform your duties under increasingly difficult circumstances. Whether it’s negotiating a contract, prosecuting a grievance, protecting and promoting your labor rights at the State Capitol in Madison, or responding to critical incidents involving the use of force, the WPPA offers its members a wealth of experience and expertise. We must remember to utilize our collective strength to stand together, to lean on one another, and to effectively protect the interests of our members. I am proud to stand with you.

Have a wonderful and safe summer.